The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of thin film apparatus for the treatment of flowable materials.
When working with thin film apparatuses one of the functions which should be carried out is to distribute the infed material or feed to be treated within a short axial distance or path in such a manner that the treatment surface is also uniformly impinged or contacted over its periphery already at the portion thereof located at the neighborhood of the feed inlet. If this function is not complied with, then it should be recognized that a part of the structural height of the equipment intended for the treatment operation is not utilized, or in a less effective manner.
Attainment of the previously mentioned objective is particularly difficult in the case of so-called large size equipment, typically possessing a diameter of 800 millimeters or more, and up to the present, as far as applicants are aware, has not been possible in a satisfactory manner. It is known to the art to supply the feed or material to be treated into the equipment with the aid of a multiplicity of inlet studs or connections uniformly distributed about the circumference of the housing. Material distribution within the confines of the equipment or apparatus is thus facilitated. However, such constructional manifestation of thin film apparatus, apart from the increased costs in manufacturing the same, also is associated with an extremely great expenditure during installation of the apparatus in order to be able to connect all of the inlet studs or connections via distributor lines or conduits in such a manner that during operation of the system such will be uniformly supplied with the feed or material to be treated.